The Champions League is among the world’s most popular and prestigious football competitions. It happens every year, bringing together dream teams from across Europe to fight for ultimate glory. By all means, the competition has created a rich history in the time of its existence.
Formation
The competition was formed in 1965, which makes it 65 years old as of 2020. At the time, it was known as the European Cup. It comprised of the domestic league winners (one team per country) from various European countries. At the time, it was played as a knock out from the very start.
In 1992, it was expanded and renamed the UEFA Champions League (UCL). Depending on the strength of its domestic league, a country can have up to five teams representing it in the competition. In total, 79 teams participate in the matches from the playoffs to the final. 32 of those play in the group stages.
The league begins in a round-robin format then progresses to the knock-out stages. It is also bordered by a second-tier competition, the Europa League.
Winners
UCL honours are spread across Europe, with Spain taking the most of these. Real Madrid (13) and Barcelona (5) are the most successful teams from the country. Liverpool (6), Manchester United (3), Nottingham Forest (2), Chelsea (1) and Aston Villa (1) put England in the second position. In contrast, Milan (7), Inter (3) and Juventus (2) put Italy in third.
Awards
The competition has some of the most lucrative cash rewards. Simply qualifying for the preliminary rounds earns money. Participation in the group stages earns a team around €15,250,000, with an additional €2.7m for each match won at that stage. The amounts go up as the competition progresses, with the winner of the final taking home a whopping €19,000,000. The loser in the final pockets €15,000,000.